Report: Mobile-order congestion causing problems for Starbucks

A little weekend reading... in case you didn't see the Starbucks headlines from yesterday.

Via USA Today:

The coffee chain reported disappointing sales growth on Thursday and partly blamed the “congestion” in its stores for prompting some people to leave without buying anything. Starbucks said the popularity of its mobile order-and-pay option, which was supposed to make getting a drink easier, has caused bottlenecks at the areas where people pick up their drinks.

CEO Howard Schultz, who is leaving that role in April to become executive chairman, said the issue has “created anxiety” among some customers.

No word on the number of people who just enter and exit a Starbucks to use the restrooms.

A reading from 'American Girls' tonight at Love Gang on 9th Street

Writer Nancy Jo Sales is reading from her latest book, "American Girls: Social Media and the Secret Lives of Teenagers," a look at how social media has changed the lives of girls and presented them with unprecedented challenges, tonight at 8 at Love Gang, the clothing boutique at 436 E. Ninth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue... via the EVG inbox...



Read our interview with Love Gang co-owners Cara Bloch and Carmen Ruiz-Davila from December here.

'Star' power

Slowdive is back with new material after a 22-year hiatus.

The reunited UK shoegazaers are touring this spring, with a stop at the forthcoming venue Brooklyn Steel on May 8. Those tickets went on sale today. The above track is the recently released "Star Roving."

EV Grieve Etc.: Nest action in Tompkins Square Park; Subway Therapy on the LES

[Photo on Astor Place by Derek Berg]

Contract to defend Mayor de Blasio and aides to cost city $11.6 million (The New York Times)

Taste testing the two new Vietnamese restaurant options in the East Village (Eater ...previously)

Christo and Dora nest action (Laura Goggin Photography)

"Subway Therapy" project at 107 Norfolk St. through Monday (amNY)

About the pronunciation of Houston Street (The New York Times)

Musician Tor Miller's favorite EV places (The Guardian)

Robert Sietsema picks his choices for best East Village Mexican restaurants (Eater)

Subway and bus fare will remain $2.75 following MTA vote (Curbed)

Jonny Detiger’s "Amplified Space" continues through Feb. 9 at Howl! Happening on First Street (Official site)

The "Universal in the '70s" film series includes Dennis Hopper's "The Last Movie" and Monte Hellman's "Two-Lane Blacktop" (Metrograph)

Debbie Harry for Gloria Vanderbilt jeans in the 1980s (Dangerous Minds)

... and unfortunately we found about this after the first show... the Russ & Daughters Cafe on Orchard Street has launched a John Zorn-curated monthly music series for 2017...

About that new cube on Astor Place (and the return of Mud Coffee)

You may have noticed the arrival of a new cube-like kiosk on Astor Place yesterday.

There were all sorts of theories about it (CorTen Steel LinkNYC kiosk, "Game of Thrones" Winds of Winter bus shelter, Amanda Burden-Christ map room, etc).

Anyway, here's the official release about what's happening here via the EVG inbox...

Coming soon, Astor Plate! A new food and beverage kiosk created by Perry Mallas serving healthy Mediterranean comfort food, coffee and beverages, all organic and locally sourced wherever possible. Astor Plate is also bringing MUD Coffee back to Astor Place.

Although the MUD Truck is now retired, MUD is delighted to once again be part of Astor Place ...

To design and create the kiosk Perry has collaborated with the same creative team at Patrick Nash Design that designed and built Flatiron Green and Benvenuto Café. Visually, the kiosk references the neighborhood’s artistic character and reflects the design profile of Tony Rosenthal’s iconic Alamo culpture, which turns 50 this year. The raw steel finishes and bold geometric forms of Astor Plate will create a natural and inviting ambiance, appropriate for this quintessentially urban environment.

Astor Plate is expected to open in March.

Up in vapor: Beyond Vape has left St. Mark's Place

Two weeks ago we repotted that Beyond Vape, the upper-level shop at 19-23 St. Mark's Place, was closing at the end of the month.

Well the vapors have already cleaned out of the space that they started leasing in 2013. At that time, this was the first East Coast location of the California-based chain. Today, there are seven NYC locations of Beyond Vape. Potential costumers here are being directed to the Union Square store.

Meanwhile, next door, the for lease signs have been removed from the windows of Grand Sichuan, which closed back in the fall. Perhaps the two spaces will be combined for a really big _______.

Office space on St. Mark's Place back on the market and still ghost free

Back in July 2014, a unique "for lease" sign arrived for the basement office space at 92 St. Mark's Place just east of First Avenue.

Among other amenities, the sign boasted that the office had "Real see-thru windows" ... "Real walls!" ... and! "No ghosts!"

Well, the sign has returned...



And there still aren't any ghosts...



As I recall, this space was off the market for a long while after the fire on the first floor in August 2014.

H/T @aureliovoltaire

Thursday's parting shot

A view from the East Village perch of Bobby Williams... looking to the southwest toward the Jenga-like, 57-story residential building currently under construction at 56 Leonard St.

An Obama tribute on Bond

You may have noticed the tribute to former President Obama this past week on a gate outside 42 Bond St. between the Bowery and Lafayette.

This installation is the creation of Scott VanderVoort, who previously created a tribute to Steve Jobs and David Bowie on the same fence.



As with Jobs and Bowie, you get a young and older version depending on the direction you're headed...





You'll get a much better idea of all this via VanderVoor's Instagram account...

#fenceinstallation #barackobama #barackobamatribute #tribute #nyc #bondst #art #streetart #mypresident #speakout #next100days btw Lafayette & Bowery

A video posted by Scott VanderVoort (@scottvandervoort) on Jan 20, 2017 at 5:34am PST

Checking in on 'Urbanmythology' on the Houston/Bowery Mural Wall

Despite the crummy weather, the Spanish street-art duo PichiAvo (above) started work on the Houston/Bowery Mural Wall at the beginning of the week, as expected.

The official release about the new work — the first in NYC for the two — said it would be complete by Feb. 4... here's how it's looking this afternoon (the tape is part on the never-ever-ending East Houston reconstruction project)...



The mural, titled "Urbanmythology," will be up through May.